With thoughts, and occasional rants, on farm, family and crafting. Just to stay sane, I knit. A lot!

Saturday, February 6, 2016

The Math Part of Knitting

I must say that knitting has improved my math skills. I did need to do some pattern modifications to my Freyja.

I swatched, washed and let the swatches dry overnight. Surprising, they did bloom more after drying. And on size 6 needles I was still at too large a gauge. I didn't want to go to size 5's. This was supposed to be a quick and easy sweater to dash off. As it is, my gauge was supposed to be 19 stitches over 4 inches. I am still, on my closest swatch, at 18 stitches for 4 inches.

So, time to dig out the calculator. Which I misplaced, so I had to stop and pick up another one today.

First I calculated my stitches per inch rate, and count needed to fit my bust size. I picked the size I needed to use and started highlighting the pattern. Then I discovered the cast-on number is not the same after waist shaping and bust area. So I recalculated everything again, this time using the right stitches and converted to my gauge to get the same size. Yup, I needed to go up a size. I also calculated the dimensions for waist and hip using the new size, just to be on the safe side.

While reviewing the pattern, I also noticed that the sleeves seem very loose. With the aid of the calculator, I found they would work out to 13 inches. Way to big for me. I will be modifying it to 9 inches and then needing to increase twice as many times to get to the correct stitch count.

And as another pattern modification, I am moving the side markers back 5 stitches on each side. I need more room on the front than on than the back. Being a yoke style sweater, it won't change the top at all.

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Farm Mom

About Me

A mother, farm wife, friend, spinner, knitter and granny. I dabble in genealogy and love NASCAR. I love winter, cool crisp air and living in Michigan. My favorite movies are old movies, mostly from the 30s,40s and 50s.